It’s one of those things that insiders are allowed to use … to describe themselves … but God HELP you if you’re an outsider, and you make some joke about “carnies” in the presence of an actual carny. God help you, I’m serious.
My friend Mitchell works in a circus every summer, and we joke about his “carny” life. I spoke with him last night. He lives in his own camper van, with AC thank God, and travels up and down and through New England, with the fabulous Circus Smirkus. New Englanders: here is their summer schedule if you’re interested. I’ve seen some of their performances, and they’re marvelous. These people are gifted circus performers from all over the place, and many of them go on to Ringling Brothers, etc. FUN.
I said to him, “So where are you?” He said the town, he was in Vermont somewhere, in the middle of nowhere, and he said he was lying in bed in his camper van, and I said, “Dude, you are show trash to your very core.”
He has no email access while he lives his carny life … but I am going to post this anyway, for safekeeping, when I see him again.
My E-verse newsletter just came, and there’s a link in it – to this: “Carny Lingo” – an enormous glossary of carnival terms. Any mini-world has its own vocabulary … so I was reading through the glossary, just laughing, thinking of Mitchell in his carny camper van, traveling around with the circus.
One of my favorite bloggers, Pitcherlady, has a blog devoted to that life at Cliffhanger.
Rob – wow!! Thanks so much for that link – I’ve been poring through it. I will send it on to Mitchell, where he can take a look at it when he comes back to civilization. Thanks!
A question/observation: aren’t carnies different from circus people?
When I think ‘carnies’ I think of rickety rides and rigged games – kinda like the Brockton Fair.
When I think ‘circus’ I think ‘real perfomers.
Dan – I think that is why the “circus folk” balk so much at being called “carnies” – because there is a hierarchy. “Who you callin’ a carnie? I don’t run a ferris wheel or make cotton candy. I’m a contortionist from Bulgaria. I’m no carnie!”
exactly!!! Circus folk are trained athletes and carnies have no teeth and try to convince u to come and see Popo the Dog-faced Boy!!! We are now in Concord MA..at a very posh prep school and the a stomcah bug is raging thru the troupe..including me! Hooray!!!
See the Pig-Faced Man and the Monkey-Girl
Come See the Big Fat Lady
Gator-Slim with the Alligator Skin
Come See the Devil’s Baby
Mark Knopfler, Devil Baby
Mitchell – so weird – just as you were commenting I was writing up the story about you-know-who climbing through my window. And you saying “go, go, go Joseph … to the OTHER WINDOW” to him.